Hard Light Productions Forums

Modding, Mission Design, and Coding => The Modding Workshop => Topic started by: Starman01 on October 16, 2011, 03:28:20 pm

Title: Space Station Giveaway + looking for simple UV-mapping help
Post by: Starman01 on October 16, 2011, 03:28:20 pm
Someone interested in the model ? I made it for armada 2526, so it doesn't have incredible high polies. But if someone skilled can make a better texture job, it might still look good (of course, the weapon turrets are not fitting into freespace).

http://omnitech.hard-light.net/team/starman/pics/collossus01.jpg
http://omnitech.hard-light.net/team/starman/pics/collossus03.jpg
http://omnitech.hard-light.net/team/starman/pics/collossus04.jpg
http://omnitech.hard-light.net/team/starman/pics/collossus05.jpg

Polycount is around 12000, but it's all symetric and can be devided in 4 equal parts + central core, which makes it easier for texturing. I know the current texture is not very good, so don't annoy me  :p If someone is interested, here is the model and the current texture :

Here is the file : http://omnitech.hard-light.net/team/starman/downloads/Colossus.rar

Also, in exchange (not necessary for the giveaway, but it would be appreciated) I'm looking for some very basic UV-Mapping help. I have some simple ship hulls, all below 1K polygons, which should be applied a simple UV-map (the basic hull). I will add all detail myself, but sofar I haven't managed to come up with a good functional way to create good UV-Maps. I'm still using Truespace, and I like it. But the external programs do not really help in UV-Mapping. So I would appreciate any help :)
Title: Re: Space Station Giveaway + looking for simple UV-mapping help
Post by: Kobrar44 on October 16, 2011, 03:55:26 pm
Man, this one is good! Make moar of these, please  :D Also, consider using other tool like blender, at least for UV-mapping. There is a good tut for that, it's even sticky. Check it out, maybe it can help.
Title: Re: Space Station Giveaway + looking for simple UV-mapping help
Post by: Starman01 on October 16, 2011, 04:02:04 pm
Can blender import *.cob, or at least files that I can create with the 3d Explorer ? I found a tool on the web that is called "3d converter". Virtually, it can convert a few hundred (!) individuell filetypes, but of course is not for free, each "semi-free" version is as usual filled with viruses and trojans. But it can create an UV-Map from an Object, but so far I haven't really figured out, how to continue from there.
Title: Re: Space Station Giveaway + looking for simple UV-mapping help
Post by: Deathsnake on October 16, 2011, 04:06:40 pm
Blender can Import 3DS, LWO, DAE, OBJ and a few more.
Title: Re: Space Station Giveaway + looking for simple UV-mapping help
Post by: Black Wolf on October 16, 2011, 09:45:40 pm
I was all excited, hoping for a small station. Oh well. The design is kind of cool, but a atd underdetailed for FSO standards these days... although, I must admit I do like models with lots of... jutty-out-bits, holes etc. etc. for the player to fly through. Gives a visceral sense of detail.
Title: Re: Space Station Giveaway + looking for simple UV-mapping help
Post by: Klaustrophobia on October 17, 2011, 01:28:32 am
from a non-modder perspective, i think it looks awesome.  at the very least it should be a great starting point if someone else details it more.
Title: Re: Space Station Giveaway + looking for simple UV-mapping help
Post by: Starman01 on October 17, 2011, 02:32:02 am
Quote
I was all excited, hoping for a small station.

Well, more stations will follow, but they will be much more low poly than this I'm afraid  :P
Title: Re: Space Station Giveaway + looking for simple UV-mapping help
Post by: Enioch on October 17, 2011, 03:38:49 am
I could, maybe, find enough time to unwrap 2-3 ships. Would you like to send me some models, and we'll see what we can figure out? OBJ format, plx.

Not more than 2-3 though, cause I have a lot on my plate atm.

Dibs on the station. Just what I needed. Could you upload it in OBJ or 3DS format as well? Not everybody uses TS. (hardly anybody uses TS)  :p
Title: Re: Space Station Giveaway + looking for simple UV-mapping help
Post by: starwolf1991 on October 17, 2011, 04:03:42 am
Terrific model - might seem under-detailed in contrast to most models, but it is actually a good thing. Very original. I'd love to see more of you stations.

Note: Imported in PCS2, more recent versions crashing during process. Older versions, no worries. Anyone likely to take a stab at adding the necessary POF data to it?
Title: Re: Space Station Giveaway + looking for simple UV-mapping help
Post by: Starman01 on October 17, 2011, 05:13:07 am
Some parts of the model (mostly the 4 big hangar parts on the top) are still orginal from an Armada 2526 model, and I'm not sure i have deleted unnecessary faces yet.  PCS 2.0.3 can load it though. Maybe the crashing will be gone, when you sort the hierarchy new. I haven't cleaned that up yet. Besides, I never understood why Truespace exort's it's own cob format with messed up texture koordinates. To correct them, i always have to open the cob in PCS, and resave again as cob, then it's fixed. Too bad, I'm now so used to truespace, I simply don't have the patience to lern 3ds, it's interface it's always scaring me away, I can't even find the object editor or a good texturing tool. Looks like, the interface was programmed by drunken monkeys  :P

Quote
I could, maybe, find enough time to unwrap 2-3 ships. Would you like to send me some models, and we'll see what we can figure out? OBJ format, plx.

That would be great, then I wont have to force Black Wolf to do too much :) Currently, there are 4 Models existing that needs an UV-Map. I will prepare one for you.

Here is the model in *.obj format, UV-Koordinates should be intakt too.

http://omnitech.hard-light.net/team/starman/downloads/Collossus2.rar
Title: Re: Space Station Giveaway + looking for simple UV-mapping help
Post by: Enioch on October 17, 2011, 05:53:16 am
Thanks a lot. PM me with the model.
Title: Re: Space Station Giveaway + looking for simple UV-mapping help
Post by: Starman01 on October 24, 2011, 02:45:16 pm
So, here is another base model if someone is interested. This time some sort of smaller logistic base, so maybe it's more to black wolfs liking. Yes, the texture sucks, I know.  :banghead: Make it better yourself, that's the best I can do  :lol: Also, of course I could have modelled that with 20K polygons by rounding all stuff up and greeble it to Hell, but again this model is for StarRuler, and it's already to highpoly for that. Polycount is 2.8 K

If someone is interested, PM me. Lods and debris not included.

http://omnitech.hard-light.net/team/starman/pics/as_civil01.jpg
http://omnitech.hard-light.net/team/starman/pics/as_civil02.jpg
http://omnitech.hard-light.net/team/starman/pics/as_civil03.jpg

And my request stands. I'm happy for everyone who helps me UV-Mapping. That way I do not have the few pals already giving me a hand to force to spent too much of their time for me. So everyone willing to help me UV-ing a simple hull (i remove all details before), please tell me. :pimp:
Title: Re: Space Station Giveaway + looking for simple UV-mapping help
Post by: Dragon on October 24, 2011, 04:40:07 pm
Could somebody convert these?
I have a use for civilian stations.
Title: Re: Space Station Giveaway + looking for simple UV-mapping help
Post by: Starman01 on October 24, 2011, 06:39:06 pm
Here is the military station, medium size.

http://omnitech.hard-light.net/team/starman/pics/as_bigbase1.jpg
http://omnitech.hard-light.net/team/starman/pics/as_bigbase2.jpg
Title: Re: Space Station Giveaway + looking for simple UV-mapping help
Post by: starwolf1991 on October 24, 2011, 08:11:00 pm
Starman, these installations are superb. Since the Colossus, it just keeps getting better. If you could make these, I can only imagine what else you can come up with :)
Title: Re: Space Station Giveaway + looking for simple UV-mapping help
Post by: Starman01 on October 25, 2011, 04:21:33 am
Quote
Starman, these installations are superb. Since the Colossus, it just keeps getting better. If you could make these, I can only imagine what else you can come up with

Thanks :) I want to create four different spaceships set / Races for Starruler. I have collected a few hundred models from HLP over the years, enough to give me inspiration :) I can release every single one, if people don't mind having some little low poly stuff in the game. They always have the same problem however, the hull texture, because I can only do tilling. It's ok for StarRuler, but for Freespace it will break Spec lights afaik. Those Models are for the first Alien Race. A few are rebuilded Designs from Aldo's old modeldumps, also another modeldump. For the design Ideas I will have to search for the correct credits.

But it looks something like this :)

http://omnitech.hard-light.net/team/starman/pics/as_spinal01.jpg
http://omnitech.hard-light.net/team/starman/pics/frigate03.jpg
http://omnitech.hard-light.net/team/starman/pics/as_transport01.jpg
http://omnitech.hard-light.net/team/starman/pics/destroyer01.jpg
http://omnitech.hard-light.net/team/starman/pics/lighthull1.jpg


Title: Re: Space Station Giveaway + looking for simple UV-mapping help
Post by: Dragon on October 26, 2011, 11:15:25 am
Tile mapping shouldn't break anything in FSO. It works fine, but UVmapping can achieve visually better results.
Anyway, I really like these ships.
Title: Re: Space Station Giveaway + looking for simple UV-mapping help
Post by: Starman01 on October 26, 2011, 11:42:13 am
Quote
Tile mapping shouldn't break anything in FSO.

You sure ? I was always told, that a tilling texture cannot process the specular lights correctly and would produce furbar ugly effects ingame :confused:
Title: Re: Space Station Giveaway + looking for simple UV-mapping help
Post by: Dragon on October 26, 2011, 11:44:45 am
If that used to be the case, it no longer is. Tile maps work just fine.
Title: Re: Space Station Giveaway + looking for simple UV-mapping help
Post by: Starman01 on October 26, 2011, 12:15:19 pm
Interesting. Then I can even think about creating some new models for freespace if I'm in the mood. I love building Starbases  ;7
Title: Re: Space Station Giveaway + looking for simple UV-mapping help
Post by: starwolf1991 on October 26, 2011, 12:21:16 pm
Frigate03 makes me think of the Agenemmon. All the others, completely new to me. They are pretty terrific :)
Title: Re: Space Station Giveaway + looking for simple UV-mapping help
Post by: Starman01 on October 26, 2011, 12:25:25 pm
The base idea for the frigate was also from one of Aldo's model dumps I think. I just skipped the two forward wings. And as usual, I had to remodel it completly, truespace don't like foreign models :)

Model G is the one I mean :)

http://omnitech.hard-light.net/team/starman/pics/AS_Cruisers2.jpg
Title: Re: Space Station Giveaway + looking for simple UV-mapping help
Post by: starwolf1991 on October 26, 2011, 01:01:32 pm
Oh wow, these were your inspiration? I'm beginning to see why, very different and neat. Amazing they were never finished. And I can see what you mean with model G.

Model H is interesting, would love to get my mitts on that.  :p
Title: Re: Space Station Giveaway + looking for simple UV-mapping help
Post by: Starman01 on October 26, 2011, 01:15:15 pm
You can have it. All these models (and approximatly 150 more) are all from modeldumps already released on HLP. I just use them for inspiration. Cannot really say however, who created the original model, or if it was already released. The one you mentioned has good details, this one is not from one of aldo's dump I think. So for credits, you will have to ask around :)
Title: Re: Space Station Giveaway + looking for simple UV-mapping help
Post by: starwolf1991 on October 27, 2011, 12:25:25 am
Found it; Nx's Prometheus. Was released publicly, links are long dead now. Do you have a .pof or .cob version floating around by chance? :P

Meanwhile, I think its fair to return some advice; I found when it comes to UV-Mapping (I've attempted some before), it never hurts to fiddle and experiment. Try different forms of detailing, make subtle edits here and there, etc...Having reference material of something that catches your eye also helps, gives you a better idea of what you're looking for. Just keep backups of all the changes!

Also, don't be afraid to use tilemapping as a platform to work from. True, UVMaps can offer better results, but that should wait until you have a rough idea of what you want. Just need to make sure you don't have a tremendous number of texture entries.
Title: Re: Space Station Giveaway + looking for simple UV-mapping help
Post by: Starman01 on October 27, 2011, 03:19:22 am
Sorry, no pof. Just the untextured mesh as you see it in the image. It's turret positions are messed up too.

http://omnitech.hard-light.net/team/starman/downloads/2_Destroyer13.cob

It's not so, that I can't do no UV-Mapping at all. My problem is more or less Truespace. It is very limited in that matter, and as seen in the models, it's incredibly difficult to make connections points (adjandary faces, if I spelled that correctly) of detailed textures look like they belong together, there is always that "break" in it, if you know what I mean. Theoretically, I do already a light version of UV-Map,it's just the base texture I have problems with. The only reason I want the hull UV-Mapped, is to get rid of these "breaks" in the structure.

The current texture looks like this.

http://omnitech.hard-light.net/team/starman/downloads/AS_civilBase.jpg
Title: Re: Space Station Giveaway + looking for simple UV-mapping help
Post by: starwolf1991 on October 27, 2011, 07:56:02 am
True - Truespace is rather limited in that sense. I have tried that before, and I know what you mean by the breaking. I noticed some in the actual texture as well. Might not spot it right away but its there. I can't offer much advice on Truespace; my own experience with it is limited. However, that texture stuff should help at least :D

Cheers for the .cob - I'll put good use to this ^.^
Title: Re: Space Station Giveaway + looking for simple UV-mapping help
Post by: Starman01 on October 27, 2011, 09:00:04 am
Don't thank me, just credit the original Author :) I will also post a thread in a few days where I need to figure out who created models, so that I can give credits accordingly.

Regarding my textures, luckily for the game I create them, it's not that important. I would suck fully in freespace though :(
Title: Re: Space Station Giveaway + looking for simple UV-mapping help
Post by: Starman01 on November 26, 2011, 10:44:56 am
So, now I have a credit question. Just posting it here, don't want to spam to much threads :)

As far as I can remember, this models was once be known as the GTD Raynor. I'm not sure who created it, or in which mod it is used, if it is still used at all.

(http://omnitech.hard-light.net/team/starman/pics/raynor.jpg)

Can someone please tell me, who the creator is, or if you read it yourself, please tell me this :

Do you allow me to re-use the main mesh of the model as seen above (without turrets, details and lods) for another game ? I will retexture it and add some minor details too it. You will be credited of course.
Title: Re: Space Station Giveaway + looking for simple UV-mapping help
Post by: MatthTheGeek on November 26, 2011, 10:46:24 am
http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/Raynor (http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/Raynor)

The Wiki is your friend.
Title: Re: Space Station Giveaway + looking for simple UV-mapping help
Post by: Starman01 on November 26, 2011, 10:53:35 am
Oh, that's great, thanks. Didn't knew about that  ;)
Title: Re: Space Station Giveaway + looking for simple UV-mapping help
Post by: Dragon on November 26, 2011, 05:16:12 pm
Can't you use the Stratcomm's HTL version? It's much better.
Title: Re: Space Station Giveaway + looking for simple UV-mapping help
Post by: MatthTheGeek on November 26, 2011, 06:22:58 pm
The mesh he showed IS the HTL one, minus turrets. Or at least it doesn't look like the low-poly one.

We're so used to tileraping doing a magnificent job at masking detail that we're now expecting to find more detail on the mesh than there actually is, right ?
Title: Re: Space Station Giveaway + looking for simple UV-mapping help
Post by: Nyctaeus on November 26, 2011, 08:24:05 pm
Current HTL Raynor does not have so much detail. Most of them are just simple plates. It's very old HTL, new textures won't do so much. This beauty needs more details :D!
Title: Re: Space Station Giveaway + looking for simple UV-mapping help
Post by: Dragon on November 26, 2011, 10:42:47 pm
This is not the Stratcomm's Raynor, this is the original.
Stratcomm's does have a lot more polies, and it shows. It's less angular, has recessions in the forward hull and greebles on the wings, among other things.
Title: Re: Space Station Giveaway + looking for simple UV-mapping help
Post by: Starman01 on November 27, 2011, 03:23:14 am
I'm not making the models for Freespace. I'm making the new models for Starruler, a RTS. Giving it too many polygons is a waste of time and performance because their will be huge fleets, and you are not often play in full zoom in  :) I would never do models with so less details for a flight sim  :pimp: But I'm pretty sure it's the first low poly version from Stratcomm. I grabbed the models many years ago, when it was first released.
Title: Re: Space Station Giveaway + looking for simple UV-mapping help
Post by: Aardwolf on November 27, 2011, 01:07:33 pm
This is not the Stratcomm's Raynor, this is the original.
Stratcomm's does have a lot more polies, and it shows. It's less angular, has recessions in the forward hull and greebles on the wings, among other things.

*ahem*

Stratcomm made both the original AND the high-poly versions.
Title: Re: Space Station Giveaway + looking for simple UV-mapping help
Post by: Starman01 on November 27, 2011, 01:55:21 pm
Well, be it as it is, Stratcom will be named from me under "additional 3d Models".  :)

After my changes, it looks like this (carrier type). I know texture sucks, but it will be good enough for StarRuler

http://omnitech.hard-light.net/team/starman/pics/starruler/AS_lightcarrier1.jpg
http://omnitech.hard-light.net/team/starman/pics/starruler/AS_lightcarrier2.jpg
http://omnitech.hard-light.net/team/starman/pics/starruler/AS_lightcarrier3.jpg